I have the opportunity to but a set of the lexan (plastic) T-Tops and was wondering if the tops or mounting points changed at all? I don't believe they ever did but as the tops would be bought mail order I can't test fit them to confirm.

Thanks,

Robert

 

Only change I'm aware of is the pin/post size. I've seen them referred to as small post/pin, and large post/pin.

Disclaimer

I am not an athority on the subject so wait for someone you trust to know to confirm or deny this.

 

True, plus the 82-83 cars had a latch instead of pins. And then...the C&C tops were a bit shorter in length.

 

my car came with lexan tops that had the "large" pins. had a little mishap and one blew out well a friend of mine gave me, thats right gave me a set of glass ones but they were "small" pins. i tried them out and they fit just like the lexans and been in there about 5 years now with no problems at all. i know most people ditch the glass ones for wieght reasons but i like them better due to they dont spiderweb and look like crap over time like the lexans do. also like already mentioned there were some that had the hook or latch design in the earlier models.

 

Thanks for the replies. My pc is in getting fixed hence the delay in posting a response.

The car the lexan tops came off was a late model firebird with the updated nose (91-92) and from what I can remember the pins were the same size as the ones from my 87 IROC. Was it the diameter of the pins that they changed?

Also, what are the C&C tops? Were these some sort of aftermarket conversion for the tops to be a different size from the ones GM fitted?

Thanks,

Robert

 

C&C stands for Cars and Concepts. They made aftermarket T-Top systems for hardtop cars. They are the most common of the aftermarket 3rd-gen T-top conversions. The entire roof section was cut out between the side windows and the C&C T-top framework installed.

 

They could be different. I bought a set from a junk yard out of a 92-92 and they were ever-so-slightly bigger, longer front to rear that is.

 

Did they fit anyway or were they useless?

 

They dont fit my 88 T/A

 

I've seen T tops where there was a metal strip that went around the T tops.
Mine do not have them on my Trans Am.
So I have seen a couple different styles.

 

'82-early '85 T-Tops have a black plastic edging that goes around the glass sides of the T-Top.

 

Bringing this one back.

Does anyone know what the two different lengths of T-Top are?

 

Don't know the lengths, sorry.

But on the pins - the later Lexan tops with the larger pins actually had the same size metal pin inside a slightly larger plastic sleeve - the whole assembly moved outward if you had the top out of the car, but in the car the plastic part butted up against the conical shaped hole and stopped there, while the metal pin continued into the hole to latch.

The Lexan tops usually get replaced by folks with glass tops, because the Lexan gets spider cracks all through the top from years of UV abuse (sunlight), so when looking up through them you see all these crackles in the tops. The glass is heavier, and thus those looking for weight reduction will sometimes swap for the Lexan, the rest of us are swapping for the better looking glass.

Unless the old latch style or the C&C, the tops should be interchangeable. I have replaced my 1992 Camaro Lexan tops with glass tops from a 1986 'Bird with no issues.

 

For more info on sizes and parts check out this site.

http://www.sunroofdoctor.com/


Hope this answers your question.

 

I had 1992 firebird with ttops and my brother had a 1984 camaro with ttops and they would not interchange